Method and apparatus for cooling air



-un 25,A "1929.

w. l. FLEISHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING AIR Filed Dec) 22, 1926NN i ewzmml .Il 231s d2 w n" Patented June 25, 1929.

,cuirs stares russia WALTER L. FLEISHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOIR,BY-MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOy

AUDITORIUM VENTILATING CORPORATION, F 'JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A COR-;PORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING AIR.

This invention relates to ventilation and more particularly, to a systemdesigned to maintain a desired standard of both temperatur'e andhumidity conditions within an en- It isparticularly adapted for theventilation of public enclosures such as theatres. I i

The proper ventilation of a building 1n the summer time is largely aquestion ot' cooling and dehumidifying and, with certain types` ofbuildings such, for example, as theatres during operation, this is trueeven 1n the winter time, since the heat and humidity given off by theoccupants are in many cases 'more than sulicient to maintain the propel'conditions of humidity and temperature'.

It is in the cooling and dehumidification, however, that ventilationbecomes, in praey tice, most expensive.I It is an object of this 2Uinvention to ventilato an enclosure efficiently amlladequately but witha minimum ot expense.

The dehmnidification of air by cooling involves the reduction ot the airto its dew point before the extraction of moisture'begins, and then thefurther reduction of the saturated air to a new dew point withaconsequent condensation of the surplus moisture and a surrender ofthe-latent heatcontained therein. One of the simplest methods ofeffecting this reduction in temperature and this extraction of heat isby spraying the air with cold'watcr. This is, moreover, Va feasible andpractical plan if a plentiful Water supply be available of sufficientlylow temperature. Ordinarily, however, such a water supply is notavailable :1 -either the water has too high a* temperature or.else thereis not a suliicient quantity available or, more commonly, 'bothlimitations exist. In such instances mechanical refrigeration may beused artificially to cool the'water used for spraying theair. In thismanner vthe dehumidification is no longer limited by the temperature ofan outside supply, andthe teinperature of the spray may be accuratelymaintained with a consequent accurate maintenance oli-'the humidity'ofthe issuing air. Furthermore, the use of artificial refrigeration makesthe system nolonger dependent on a large water supply, since it is.possible to re-use the water coming from the spray chamber by returningit to the refrigerating machine. With such 'a system, however, it

it is taken to the condenser,

will be evident that the entire heat absorption is taken 'up by therefrigerating machinery, with a consequent low efiiciency.

IVhere air and water are brought into extensive contact, as where theair is subjected to the action of a fine 'water spray, the heatinterchange between them is substantially complete, corresponding toanefficiency of 100%.' i

Refrigeration, however, involves the conversion of the heat units intomechanical power and the production of the refrigerating effect from themechanical power, a conversion which can seldom, ifvever, exceed aneiliciency of 20%. f

It is an object ot' this invention to obtain the stabilization ofconditions and the humidity control which mechanical refrigeration makespossible, while at thesame time utilizing, in so far as possible and atthe maximum efficiency, the cooling effect of the natural water supply.

Refrigerating machinery ordinarily includes a cooling coil, as forexample a condenser for the purpose of cooling and condensing compressedgases preparatory to expansion, and there is ordinarily supplied to thecondenser a quantity of circulating water from a natural water supplyas, for example, from deep Wells or from city mains, and this watersupply is frequently below the. dew point of the incoming air.`

In accordance with this invention it has been discovered that therefrigeration can be conducted more efficiently without increase inWater consumption by combining the naturalwater spray chamber systemwith the mechanical refrigeration system in a. novel manner. Inaccordance with this invention the natural Water supply is first broughtinto direct contact with the air to be deliulnidiied in a spray chamberuntil the air has been reduced substantially to the temperature of thewater. Water from the spray chamber is utilized as a cooling medium forthe condenser. cordance with this system a small/difference intemperature between the water supply and the dew point of the airthewater being the cooler, will produce a very great effect in indehumidification, Whereas the consequent rise in temperature of thecooling Water as while it tends to produce an adverse .effect upon theeiicounte'rbalanced by other concolnitant actors of economy. Obviouslythe initial spray will produce its cooling effect whenever it is belowthe wet bulb temperature of the incoming air. The greatest economiesoccur, however, in situations where cooling water is available. having atemlierature ibelow and preferably sul`)stantially bclow'the dewpointrofcthe' incoming air. For example, suppose the incoming air tohave a wet bulb temperature of 7S degrees with 70% humidity (dew pointdegrees) and it be desired to ma-iiitain within the building a dry bulbtemperature of 75 degrees with a 50% humidity corresponding to a wetbulbv temperature ot" 62 l/Q (dew pomt degrees).

Under such circumstances. no precipitation ot moisture will occur fromthe air until the temperature has been brought below 75,

but thereafter a 'very appreciable precipitation occurs for cach degreedrop in teln-v perature. Under such circumstances a ver 7 appreciablesaving can be made by a direct spray' system if, for example, coolingWater be available at 65. y

v For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to thefollowing detailed description taken inconnection with theaccompanying drawing, in which: the drawing is adiagrammatic section through an apparatus embodying this invention. n

In the en'ibodiment illustrated ot' the apparatus, by wliichthe processmay be carried out, there are provided two stages ot washing of the airhaving a natural water supply for the first stage, together with meansfor artificially cooling the spray water used 1n the second stage. Thecool- 1ngapparatus illustrated 1s m the-form of 'a conventionalrefrigerating machine, in-

cluding a condenser and a Baudelot expansion tube and means forimparting the refrigeration yto the cooling" water. Vater from thegeneral supply is 'fed to the first stage washer and thence it is usedto cool` the condenser, while the Water i'or the second stage washercomprises a substantially closed circuit to and from the refrigeratingmachine.

rl`he first stage washer comprises a chamber 1 having an inlet for theair at 2 and general water supply, Ithe city water desired.

an outlet at 2a which .is directly.connected to and serves as the inletfor the second stage washer 3. lVithm the chamber'is provided Laplurality of sets ot' spray nozzles 4 which are connected by suitableconduit 5 to the such lfor example, as supply or a well pump, as Thewater from the spray nozzles `is collected ina pan 6 at the bottom ofthe Ichamber 1 which communicates by a pipe 7 wit-litho condenser S.Suitable eliminators 6 may be provided within the chamber for prevmiting.the carr 'ing over of moisture from the first sta-gel spraysinto thesecond stage. The condenser itself may comprise a. plurality ofdouble-walled tubes, the interior of which carries the condensing water,the annular passage being used for the compressed gases. 'lhe coolingwater is discharged through an outlet 9. I' u Thel retrigerating'.system comprises, in general, g compressor 1l feeding thecompressedgases to the condenser 8 through' a conduit t() tor condensation, thecondensed liquid being led to a receiver 12, whence it is discharged tothe Baudelot coil. laudelot coil may be situated within avesse] 1S inwhich it is brought in contact with the water circulated through thesecond stage washer. As illustrated, this vessel comprises an upperchamber 15 having a 'vessel 3, is fed to the upper-chamber 15 of thevessel 18 through pipes 17. The second stage washer may also have aplurality of eliminator plates 16" to remove surplus moisture from theair before the airis admitted to the Ventilating system by the fan 22.

B y this apparatus .it will be seen that the incoming air is tirstcooled in the irst spray chamber, substantially to the temperature ofthe c v ndenser Water, which Water is then utilized in the cooling ofthe-compressed gasses before being discharged to Waste through the duct9. The second spray chamber, however, is fed with Water in a closedrefrigerated circulating system, the temperature of which determines thequantity ot' moisture in, the outgoing air in the well-known manner.

The system herein outlined is applicable for deluuniditication. of theair in an enclosure to be ventilated either directly or as apart of anyorganized system of ventilation, since the apparatus and process hereindisclosed primarily relate to the dehumidiication system in itself.Itwill be obvious that the foregoing system utilizes the cooling effectof the cooling water 'to .the lmaximum and at its greatest efficiency.

As an example of the economies which may be effected in accordance withthis invention we may assume an outside Wet bulb temperature of 78degrees (dew point 75")1 and a cooling water tei'nperature of (S5 de-This grecs, and assuming that it is desired to i maintain within thetheater gallon of water.

a temperature of 75 'degrees dry bulb -with a 50% relative humidity (dewpoint 55). If we employ direct refrigeration to cool the water of aspray, we will require 1/7 of a ton of refrigerating ellect for each tenpersons in the room, corresponding to about 2/7 of a Now assume the sameconditions 'to be met in accordance with this invention by utilizingthis same quantity of condenser water directly in a spray chamberthrough which the air to be cooled is circulated before thel water istaken to the condenser. We may, by this procedure, bring the incomingair down to a dew point of substantially 70 degrees, with a removal of20 grains of moisture per pound. The air thus partially cooled is thenpassed through a sprayof refrigerated water. Thisv requires in the.refrigerator system only 65% of the refrigerating effect which lfrigerating unit required. The condenser from the first stage washer,

of substantially. de-

was formerly water, coming has a temperature grees instead of 65.

It is to ,be noted, however, that if the refrigeration be reduced ashereinbefore suggested in accordance without a corresponding reductionin the water supply, that the relatively larger quantity of compensatein condensing effect for the fact that it is now delivered at a highertemperature, so that the'preliminary use of the Water in thespraychamber does not interfere with the eiciency of the refrigerating 'abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, therebetween.

I'claim* l 1. A system of air cooling which. comprises two stages ofspray washers, areincluding a water condenser for cooling the water forthe second stage with this invention v condensed cooling water willvmight be said to 'fallwasher and means for circulating the water rofjthe first stage washer through the water condenser. y ,2

2..An air cooling system comprising in combination a spray washer, asecond spray washer, a refrigcrating unit including a' water condenserfor cooling the spray of the second washer and means for circulating thewat`er. from the first washer through the condenser of the refrigeratingunit.

3. In a method of air cooling with a system employing a refrigcratingunit including a water condenser, steps which consist in circulating theair through a nonrefrigerated spizay thenthrough a refrigerated spray,collecting the non-refrigerated spray and circulating it through thecondenser of the rcfrigerating unit.

4. In a method of air cooling, steps which consist in circulating theair through a nonrefrigerated spray of Water then through therefrigerated spray of water and utilizing the water from anon-refrigerated spray for obtaining the refrigerated spray.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, an vapparatusfor cooling air Aabsorbing further heat from said air including arefrigerating unit utilizing said water supply. A

7. In an apparatus of the character described, means forcooling airincluding a spray chamber, a closed water circulating system ,for saidspray chamber including a refrigerating apparatus and means forinitially reducing the temperature of the airby a natural water supplyutilized in the I'ev frigerating' apparatus.

8. A method ofxcool-ing air comprising the absorption of heat therefromby direct contact with a water supply cooled by artificial refrigerationandthe preliminary cooling of the air by a natural water supply used forcooling in the refrigerating system.

9. In a method of cooling air' With a system embodying a refrigeratingunit and including a heat dissipating means,.the steps which includecirculating the air to be cooled throughv a spray of water, using thesaid water in the heat dissipating means of the refrigerating unit andsubsequently circulating the air into heat interchanging relationwith-the refrigerating unit.

WALTER L. FLEISHER.

